Flagstaff



J. B. KEATS Jan. 28 1964 FLAGSTAFF Filed Jan. 18, 1965 INVENTOR. JOHN B. KEATS ATTORN Y United States Patent 3,119,370 FLAGSTAFF John B. Keats, 3725 W. 38th St., Erie, Pa. Filed Jan. 18, 1963, Ser. No. 252,418 6 Claims. (Cl. 116-173) This invention relates to a flagstaff.

An object of the present invention is to provide a flagstaif which lends itself to ready assembly and disassembly on the site.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a flagstaff which is fabricated of comparatively few parts and which is resistant to the rigors of the atmosphere.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a flagstatf which is commercially feasible.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 is an exploded view of the flagstalf according to the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is an assembled view of the flagstalf of FIGURE 1 with parts of the pole and flag broken away;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged view taken on the line 3-3 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a view taken on the line 4-4 of FIGURE 3; and

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view, with parts broken away, of the flag support and the flag attached thereto.

Referring to the drawing, the numeral designates a support for a flag holder, the support taking the form of a resilient open-ended tube. The support or tube 10 is provided with a longitudinal slot 12 which extends from one end to a point adjacent to and spaced from the other end thereof. Circumposed about the support or tube 10 is a sleeve 11, the sleeve being slidable along the support or tube and having an internal area so as to compress the adjacent portions of the separated parts of the slot 12 so as to contact each other and thereby close the slot 12.

The flag holder is generally indicated by the numeral 14, and is fabricated of a material that will withstand the rigors of the atmosphere, preferably, suitable plastic material. The holder 14 has an edge portion of a flag 16 attached thereto, and is insertable through one end of the support 10, the holder being constructed and arranged so that it is supported from the slot 12 of the support and frictionally engages the inner and outer surfaces of the support when inserted in the support.

The holder 14 comprises an elongated foot 18 and extending along and projecting from one face of the foot 18 is a web 19. Clamping means or spaced facing flanges 28 extend along and are supported from the web 19, the flanges receiving therebetween an edge portion of the flag 16 which is securely fastened to the flanges as by heat sealing, sewing, stapling, and the like. As shown in FIG- URE 3, the edge portion of the flag 16 is received between the flanges 20 and are securely attached to the flanges by heat sealing. The flag is preferably an extruded plastic welt, and has each of its faces either red or one of its faces red and the opposite or other face yellow. Of course, the flag may be made of cloth with its faces carrying the desired colors and in this instance, the flag is attached to the clamping means of flanges 20 by means of staples, as indicated in FIGURE 5 by numeral 22.

Cooperating means are on the foot 18 and on the clamping means 20 which frictionally engage the inner and outer surfaces of the support 10 when the holder 14 is inserted into the support for retaining the holder 14 in position in the support. Specifically, the cooperating means comprises a bead 24 which is on the free end of the web 19 and which carries the clamping means or spaced flanges "ice 22, the face 25 of the bead contiguous to the web 19 being constructed and arranged so as to conform to the outer surface of the support 10, and the construction of the face 27 of the foot adjacent the web 19, the lastmentioned face being also constructed and arranged so as to conform to the inner surface of the support 10.

A post 28 is insertable through the other end of the support 10 when the holder 14 carrying the flag 16 has been inserted in the support, and engages the foot 18 of the holder 14, as will be clearly apparent from an inspection of FIGURES 2 and 4.

In assembling the flagstaif according to the present invention for use on a site, the holder 14 having the clamping means or spaced flanges 22 carrying an edge portion of the flag 16 is inserted through the one end of the support 10 so that the foot 18 is wholly within the support 10, the web 19 extending through the slot 12, and the clamping means is exteriorly of the support and adjacent the slot, with the face of the head 24 contiguous to the web 19 frictionally engaging the outer surface of the sup port 18 and the face of the foot adjacent the web 19 frictionally engaging the inner surface of the support 10. The sleeve 11 is then moved along the support or tube 10 until it is contiguous to the adjacent end of the holder 14, this movement of the sleeve resulting in closing of the slot 12 remote from the holder 14 by compressing the separated parts of the slot so as to contact each other. The post 28 is then inserted through the other end of the support until the upper end engages the foot 18 of the holder 14, it being understood that the lower end of the post is fixedly supported upon a ground surface.

To disassemble the flagstaff, the holder 14 carrying the flag 16 is lifted off of the upper end of the post 28 until the other end of the support 10 is free of the post, and the sleeve 11 then moved a short distance toward the other end of the support or tube 10, whereupon the holder 14 is withdrawn from the one end of the support 10 until the holder carrying the flag 16 is entirely free of the holder.

What is claimed is:

1. In a flagstaff, a resilient tubular open-ended support, said support having a longitudinal slot extending from one end to a point adjacent to and spaced from the other end thereof, a flag holder comprising an elongated foot, a web extending along and projecting from one face of said foot, clamping means extending along and supported from said web, and a flag having an edge portion received within and securely fastened to said clamping means, said holder being insertable through one end of said support so that the foot is wholly within the support, the web extending through the slot of the support, and the clamping means is exteriorly of the support and adjacent the slot, cooperating means on the foot and the clamping means frictionally engaging the inner and outer surfaces of said support when said holder is inserted within said support for retaining said holder in position in said support, and a post insertable through the other end of said support when the holder has been inserted in said support and engaging the foot of said holder.

2. The flagstaff according to claim 1 wherein said clamping means embodies spaced facing flanges.

3. The flagstaff according to claim 1 wherein said cooperating means comprises a bead carrying said clamping means and constructed so as to conform to the outer face of said support and the foot being constructed so as to conform to the inner face of said support.

4. In a flagstaif, a resilient tubular open-ended support, said support having a longitudinal slot extending from one end to the other end thereof, and a flag holder having an edge portion of a flag attached thereto insertable through one end of said support, said holder being constructed and arranged so that it is supported from the slot of said support and frictionally engages the inner and 3 4 outer surfaces of said support When inserted in said supaddition a sleeve circumposed about and slidably along port, and a post insertable through the other end of said said support remote from said holder for closing the adsupport when the holder has been inserted in said supiflcellt P0113011 0f the Slot in sflid PP port and engaging said holder.

5. The flagstaff according to claim 4 which includes in 5 References Cited ill-the file of this Patent addition a sleeve circurnposed about and slidably along UNITED STATES PATENTS said support remote from said holder for closing the ad- 1 343 140 Keeley J 3 1920 i c t p rt the s in d pp 1,680,092 Dixson Aug. 7, 1928 6. The flagstaff according to claim 1 which includes in 3,067,717 Imparato Dec. 11, 1962 

1. IN A FLAGSTAFF, A RESILIENT TUBULAR OPEN-ENDED SUPPORT, SAID SUPPORT HAVING A LONGITUDINAL SLOT EXTENDING FROM ONE END TO A POINT ADJACENT TO AND SPACED FROM THE OTHER END THEREOF, A FLAG HOLDER COMPRISING AN ELONGATED FOOT, A WEB EXTENDING ALONG AND PROJECTING FROM ONE FACE OF SAID FOOT, CLAMPING MEANS EXTENDING ALONG AND SUPPORTED FROM SAID WEB, AND A FLAG HAVING AN EDGE PORTION RECEIVED WITHIN AND SECURELY FASTENED TO SAID CLAMPING MEANS, SAID HOLDER BEING INSERTABLE THROUGH ONE END OF SAID SUPPORT SO THAT THE FOOT IS WHOLLY WITHIN THE SUPPORT, THE WEB EXTENDING THROUGH THE SLOT OF THE SUPPORT, AND THE CLAMPING MEANS IS EXTERIORLY OF THE SUPPORT AND ADJACENT THE SLOT, COOPERATING MEANS ON THE FOOT AND THE CLAMPING MEANS FRICTIONALLY ENGAGING THE INNER AND OUTER SURFACES OF SAID SUPPORT WHEN SAID HOLDER IS INSERTED WITHIN SAID SUPPORT FOR RETAINING SAID HOLDER IN POSITION IN SAID SUPPORT, AND A POST INSERTABLE THROUGH THE OTHER END OF SAID SUPPORT WHEN THE HOLDER HAS BEEN INSERTED IN SAID SUPPORT AND ENGAGING THE FOOT OF SAID HOLDER. 